This application in general relates to a coupon dispensing machine which provides feedback of several operating factors during the operation of the machine.
The prior art has begun to utilize machines to replace the historic offering of printed coupons to consumers through mail, printing in newspapers, flyers, etc. Modern coupon dispensing machines are typically placed in a retail environment, such as a supermarket, and offer consumers a selection of several different coupons. The consumer selects the coupons that are of interest, which are then printed. Several different types of coupon dispensing systems are known, and they are beginning to enjoy some success.
One problem with known coupon dispensing machines is they do not provide sufficient feedback of the amount of coupons selected from a particular store, and further the amount of activity for a particular coupon dispensing machine in a particular retail environment. As an example, a manufacturer of a particular consumer item might like to have some indication of whether a certain coupon is highly desirable in a particular supermarket prior to paying for its inclusion on a coupon dispensing machine at that supermarket. The prior art systems provide no such feedback.
Further, in the prior art, it has been somewhat difficult to change the display of available coupons due to the way they have been displayed. Typically, they have been included in color photographs, or entered into a computer database and displayed graphically.